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Seventh body found in landslide at Leyte geothermal plant
(Updated 4:30 p.m., 5 March 2013) The number of casualties of a landslide that marred operations in a geothermal power plant in Leyte Friday has risen to seven as of Monday evening.
This puts the number of missing workers at seven from the eight reported on Monday.
This puts the number of missing workers at seven from the eight reported on Monday.
A landslide occurred March 1 at a geothermal power plant in Leyte, killing six workers while eight are still missing. Photo courtesy of EDC response team
Alberto Ignacio Jr., geothermal projects division vice president of construction firm First Balfour, named Uldarico Taburanza as the latest casualty.
The six other dead were earlier identified as Bonifacio Poliño, Itchied Dela Austria, Edgardo Cabarsi Sr., Billy Abella, Joel Milay and Marlon Boanghog.
“The family of the five fatalities received financial assistance from First Balfour for funeral expenses, support for the wake and transport expenses,” Ignacio earlier said.
The geothermal power plant, as well as the steam fields, is operated by Energy Development Corp. (EDC). First Balfour, on the other hand, is contractor for one of the civil works in the province, said EDC.
Several Emergency Response Teams responded to the landslide, and were given a briefing before operations began. Photo from EDC
Meanwhile, the injured workers discharged from the hospital Monday are Raminito Manawatao, Ronilo Basan, Joebert Auman and Mario Sergida.
“First Balfour [is] extending financial assistance for hospital expenses and post discharge home medicines,” Ignacio said.
The company suspected that an earthquake last Feb. 27 and two weeks of rain may have triggered the landslide Friday morning at the Pad 403 of Upper Mahiao Geothermal Project in Leyte.
“The Emergency Response Team and all available personnel, as well as company resources and equipment, have already been mobilized,” the company said in a statement.
Emergency Response Teams recover one of the casualties from the Leyte geothermal plant landslide. Photo from EDC
The EDC accident is the second landslide to claim lives in the country this year.
Five were killed while five are still missing when a section of the west wall in a mine pit of Semirara Mining Corp. in Antique collapsed on Feb. 13. —With a report from Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KG/BM, GMA News
